1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a package apparatus used for packing packaged objects in boxes, and more particularly to a package apparatus for packing packaged objects in boxes.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, various package apparatuses for packing packaged objects in boxes are used. For example, an apparatus is known which suctions packaged objects by using a vacuum suction device, and moves the packaged objects, and packs the packaged objects in boxes. However, when the vacuum suction device is used, a portion to be suctioned needs to be flat. Therefore, in order to continuously overlay the packaged objects on adjacent packaged objects, the packaged objects are manually handled, which reduces a working efficiency. In order to solve such a problem, a partial overlay packing apparatus used for packaged noodles or the like is disclosed as below.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 07-247021 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 1) discloses a partial overlay packing apparatus, for packaged noodles or the like, which is capable of continuously packing packaged noodles or the like in an existing container box or the like mechanically such that the packaged noodles or the like are aligned in a planar positioning state so as to partially overlay one packaged noodle on another.
The partial overlay packing apparatus for packaged noodles or the like as disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes an upper endless conveyance plane which is provided, at a position which is appropriately high, inside a rectangular frame having a front and a rear wall and a right and a left wall, such that the upper endless conveyance plane can be moved from a position of the rear wall to the vicinity of the front wall. In the partial overlay packing apparatus for packaged noodles or the like, the bottom of the rectangular frame is formed of a lower endless conveyance plane which is moved from a position of the front wall toward the rear wall. The lower endless conveyance plane is separated, at the center between the right side portion and the left side portion, into two portions, that is, a left side endless conveyance plane portion and a right side endless conveyance plane portion, and these conveyance plane portions can be moved in directions, respectively, in which these conveyance plane portions are distanced from each other. Further, a front side sensor for detecting for a conveyed object is provided, at a position which is appropriately high, near the inner side of the front wall, and a rear side sensor is provided, at a position which is almost as high as the lower endless conveyance plane, on the inner side of the rear wall. The two sensors and the lower endless conveyance plane are operated in association with each other.
Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 08-85513 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 2) discloses an object-packaged-in-bag raising aligning apparatus which is low-cost, and is capable of continuously collecting, at a high speed, a plurality of objects packaged in bags, which are conveyed by a belt conveyor such that the thickness direction thereof corresponds to the horizontal direction.
The object-packaged-in-bag raising aligning apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2 is provided with: a belt conveyor which constantly operates and can convey objects packaged in bags which are fed onto a conveyor belt; a stopper for stopping a foremost first object packaged in a bag which is conveyed by the belt conveyor; and at least two object-packaged-in-bag raising plates, that is, a first object-packaged-in-bag raising plate and a second object-packaged-in-bag raising plate. The first object-packaged-in-bag raising plate is operable to shake and raise the foremost first object packaged in the bag from its upstream side, by using an air cylinder that is provided below the foremost first object packaged in the bag, which is stopped on the belt conveyor by the stopper, and that operates based on a detection signal from a first object-packaged-in-bag detector for detecting for the foremost first object packaged in the bag, which has been stopped by the stopper, such that the thickness direction thereof almost corresponds to the horizontal direction, and operable to sandwich the foremost first object packaged in the bag between the stopper and the first object-packaged-in-bag raising plate. The second object-packaged-in-bag raising plate is operable to shake and raise a second object packaged in a bag from its upstream side, by using an air cylinder that is provided below the second object packaged in the bag, which immediately follows the foremost first object packaged in the bag and is stopped on the belt conveyor by the first object-packaged-in-bag raising plate, and that operates based on a detection signal from a second object-packaged-in-bag detector for detecting for the second object packaged in the bag, which has been stopped by the first object-packaged-in-bag raising plate, such that the thickness direction thereof almost corresponds to the horizontal direction, and operable to sandwich the second object packaged in the bag between the first object-packaged-in-bag raising plate and the second object-packaged-in-bag raising plate.